Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Slum (5)
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The bald man, covered head to toe in tattoos, didn't take long to regain consciousness.
"...Ugh."
Whether he was nursing a headache or not, he pressed a hand to his forehead, blinking as he scanned his surroundings. Then, upon locking eyes with me, his face drained of color—not just pale, but positively ashen.
Hmm. Even if I did knock him out, staring at me like that stung a little...
Shouldn't he be grateful, instead?
Feeling unjustly accused, I puffed out my lips.
To begin with, hadn't this bald guy charged at me first?
I'd only acted to defend myself right before his blind attack could land.
Yeah, yeah. Self-defense, plain and simple.
Besides, if I hadn't knocked him out, Nameless surely would have drawn his wooden sword.
Who knows what might have happened then...
I nodded to myself as I mulled it over internally, when the bald man spoke up. His voice trembled, squeezed out as if he were desperately trying to steady it.
"Are you... going to kill me...?"
What?
Baffled by the nonsense, I blinked and pointed alternately between him and myself with a finger.
"...Me? Kill you? Why the hell would I?"
What reason could he possibly have for thinking that?
I wasn't restraining him or surrounding him to block any escape.
And if I'd harbored any such intent, I'd have done it already.
Frowning at his ridiculous assumption, I waved my hand dismissively.
"Tch. I don't know what nonsense is going through your head, but it's not that."
In short, he'd deluded himself and resigned to his fate all on his own.
Upon hearing me, the color returned to his face in a flush of anger as he bellowed.
What a fickle-minded guy.
"You leave me like this and have the nerve to say that?!"
He jabbed a finger at the back of his neck.
Hmm, why the sudden outburst...?
Pouting a bit, I followed his gesture to the back of his neck.
A massive lump had swelled there, making him look like an ogre with two heads.
...Had I gone a little overboard?
To be fair, though, his frailty made it tricky to gauge my strength properly.
A twinge of guilt flickered, but I shook my head to dispel it.
No matter how I sliced it, this wasn't my fault.
If anything, it was his for being so pathetically weak.
I nodded firmly.
That aside, I couldn't keep calling him "baldy" forever. Maybe I should ask his name?
Conversations usually start with introductions, right?
Plus, I had things to ask him anyway—this seemed like a perfect opener.
"Hmm. First off, what's your name?"
He looked incredulous, rubbing his forehead with a bewildered expression.
"Hah! My name? You really have no idea who I am?!"
Now I was the aggrieved one. Frowning, I grumbled in a peevish tone.
"Didn't I say it from the start? That I came here to find out what this place is about."
"Right... yeah, you did. Ha, haha!"
Why was he laughing all of a sudden? Had he finally lost it?
I eyed him with dismay, and after a bout of laughter, he abruptly hung his head.
"Ha... What the hell have I done...?"
The mood felt like it called for some comforting pat on the shoulder, but just then, Nameless slipped into the room like a ghost.
"Master, has the bald guy woken up?"
"...Bald guy?"
"Yep, lively as can be, just like your eyes can see."
I caught a glimpse of the bald man's dumbfounded stare, but it didn't faze me.
Whatever.
Now that Nameless was here, it was time to get down to business.
I drew my wooden sword and flashed a grin.
The ogre-lookalike bald guy's name was Carlson.
He handled drug distribution in the slums, and by his account, he held a fairly important position in his organization.
Anyway, the reason he operated out of the slums was that the Empire largely ignored them. Plus, with no blood ties among the residents, decent-looking ones could be sold as slaves or recruited into his group.
When I asked why bother exploiting the slum dwellers to scrape together money, he admitted his position was important but underfunded—so it was for a slightly more comfortable life.
He started droning on about his sob story, which I wasn't remotely interested in, so I shoved my wooden sword under his nose to shut him up.
"So you're a villain, then."
It might be presumptuous, but honestly, there was nothing worth hearing.
Drugs, slaves, exploitation.
What tragic backstory could possibly justify that?
Carlson gave a self-deprecating smile and finally lifted his bowed head.
"So what now? Gonna kill me? What do you want?"
"Beats me. I don't even know what I want to do with you."
I sheathed my wooden sword at my waist again.
Sure, hypocritical thoughts like Do I even have the right to judge his sins? crossed my mind, but my true feelings were different.
For scum like this, people who'd committed unforgivable sins...
Would it be okay if I claimed their souls?
Could I use them as stepping stones to my goals?
Maybe exploiting Carlson was the easiest path to achieving them.
A sudden wave of self-loathing hit me.
Have I always been this filthy and selfish?
I didn't know.
I knew nothing.
I was a worthless old fool who'd wasted her life.
I was a coward.
I'd never once made a decision that truly felt right to me.
I glanced sideways at Nameless, wondering if he'd be disappointed in his pathetic master.
But contrary to my fears, his gaze was the same steady one as always.
Ah, right.
I couldn't show my ugly side to Nameless, who still believed in me.
To steel myself, I bit my lip—metallic tang filled my mouth.
They say parents are a child's mirror.
Well, I'm a master, but there's that saying about master and disciple being one, right?
Point is, if I let this guy off easy now—or worse, if I decided to use him for my selfish goals...
Nameless would learn from it.
Things like, If it's for my goals, I don't need to care about sacrificing others.
I couldn't let that happen.
My head cleared, and with a bitter smile, I drew my wooden sword again.
...
"Master, I'm ready."
"Good... Let's go."
As planned with Nameless, I climbed to the top of the tavern and perched on the edge of the roof. Tilting my head back, I haughtily overlooked the crowd below.
Nameless had done his part well— the people we'd scouted earlier were gathered there, staring up at me in confusion.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat lightly and launched into my prepared speech.
"I'm giving you two choices."
I held out my hand, forming a V-sign to illustrate.
"First."
I folded down one finger.
"Spend the rest of your days peacefully in this hopeless slum, choking down filth for sustenance."
The slum dwellers focused intently; the murmurs that had buzzed moments ago vanished completely.
I liked that. A bitter smile crept across my face.
"Second."
My outstretched hand was now a tight fist.
"Live a life with some risk, sure—but one where you can dream, hold hope, and stuff yourself with clean food instead of muck."
I rested my arm on my knee and propped my chin.
"Decide."
They had free will to choose, after all. In a perfectly functioning Empire, this was downright democratic—totally out of place here.
Once I finished, the crowd just exchanged wary glances, saying nothing.
Hmm, not the reaction I'd expected...
The silence dragged on until a redheaded young man raised his hand.
"What is it? Made your choice?"
"N-No! It's not that..."
His eyes darted about before he nodded with resolve.
"W-We... all of us have hostages held by Carlson's gang! That's why we can't move either way..."
Ah, right—I'd forgotten to mention that.
Cold sweat trickled down my neck, but I kept a straight face.
Now wasn't the time.
I'm quick on the uptake; I read the room well.
Probably.
"Nameless!!!"
"Yes, Master."
Nameless leaped up to the roof from amid the crowd at my call.
"Fetch that wretch."
"Yes."
He headed inside with a suppressed grin.
"W-Wait just a moment..."
Worried they might scatter, I hurriedly spoke up.
Thankfully, they nodded reluctantly and stayed put.
A short while later, Nameless dragged something out.
Naturally, it was Carlson.
I took him from Nameless and hurled him down in front of the tavern, right into the crowd.
"I hold no grudge against him, so I spared his life... but you lot? Who knows."
I flashed a bitter smile.
"I've severed all his energy meridians. Do whatever you want with the rest."
Resentment-filled eyes turned as one toward their target.